First of all, I’m envious that you’re planning a vacation to the Yarra Valley, and second, congrats. This industry needs our support right now, and one of the few ways to do that is to travel to remote Victoria and support the thousands of local winemakers, vineyard owners, and workers there.
Naturally, you want to find the best Yarra Valley winery restaurants so, there won’t be any trial and error (we did it for you). We’ll offer you a bucket list to cross off, and if you’re staying for a week, you might be able to try several of the items on it.
We always want to include a little background knowledge on the area. Since you want to go into combat with your armor on, it really does assist in knowing a little bit about history and a little bit about wine. Information overload can occur during wine tastings, especially after the third glass. We won’t bore you with anything too sophisticated; just read on to get a sense of what they will tell you.
The Wine Region of the Yarra Valley
The Yarra Valley wine region is a distinctive fusion of community, culture, and history. In addition to producing good wine, the Yarra Valley’s winemaking tradition aims to build a community of wine lovers who will carry on the nation’s long-standing passion.
In the 9900-acre Yarra Valley, there are 80 wineries, each of which has a unique history to share. Most winemakers are eager to share the region’s rich history with you since they deeply value it. The Yarra Valley wine region draws a lot of attention during peak season, when traffic from Melbourne is heavy, so make sure to make reservations much in advance.
The Yarra Valley has a cold temperature because of its high elevation and near to the water. It is situated on the southern edge of Port Phillip Bay and the Mornington Peninsula. Pinot noir, which makes up 29% of output in the Yarra Valley, and Chardonnay, which makes up 25%, thrive in the region’s cool environment.
The first vintage was made in the area in 1845, and it has been producing wine for approximately 170 years. Victoria’s first vines were planted in the Yarra Valley in 1838, making it the state’s oldest wine-producing region.
Yarra Valley Winery Restaurants
Let’s get right to the juicy details about a few Yarra Valley winery restaurants that we at Yarra Valley Wineries know you’ll be mentioning to your mother.
The Stables at Stones
The old stables functioned as a secure location for farm workers and their animals. An ambiance that radiates quality is created by the establishment’s newly constructed and redecorated Victorian-era decor combined with a plant lover’s Instagram, which is also reproduced in the cuisine and service.
The head and executive chefs’ apparent abundance of knowledge is evident in the menu, which captures the vibrant bursts of flavor and seasonality’s ups and downs. We can all attest that the front of house staff takes pride in their work and does so with a dash of humor and professionalism. This is the last component needed to create an exceptional eating experience.
Coombe Yarra Valley
Coombe is an obvious choice for a ranking of the top Yarra Valley winery restaurants and sets the bar for what other eateries ought to aim towards. The majority of their menu items are made with state-grown ingredients; the veggies on your dish are “as is,” crisp as though they were just picked from the ground.
With spanner crab, sea herbs, and Yarra Valley smoked salmon caviar, Melba Gin-cured trout is served. If that doesn’t depict decadence, what does?
Coombe Yarra Valley also offers a high tea filled with the standard suspects like scones with jam and cream, cakes, sweets, savouries, and sparkling champagne pretty much on tap to match the garden party environment that the restaurant overlooks.
Bianchet Yarra Valley
Bianchet, a French-styled bistro that emphasizes robust flavors, simplicity in ingredients, and absolute excellence in execution, debuts at number three (in no particular order) of Yarra Valley winery restaurants.
Bianchet grows a significant portion of their food in the nearby gardens, as most restaurants in the Yarra Valley ought to (but don’t). In this establishment, there are no limp carrots or wet tomatoes.
At the table, expect generous portions of Gippsland Black Angus Prime Cut, braised daikon, mushroom, and pommes puree, as well as Gold Band Snapper, Bouillabaisse, king prawn, and fennel.
Their plating is exquisite and meticulously crafted. It almost seems wrong to lick the dish.
Oak Ridge Wines
It’s impossible to overstate how excellent Oak Ridge Wines’ method of merging artisan wines with gourmet food in an aesthetically pleasing way is.
The winery, which was established in 1978, is run by a family. Well recognized for its accolades, but even more so for the continued praise shared by diners and others who have tried the meal at this Yarra Valley winery restaurant through word-of-mouth recommendations.
Aaron Brodie, the executive chef, uses the garden as a taste translator rather than making any decisions at all when it comes to the menu’s direction.
It sounds like a match made in heaven: charred rainbow trout, miso, smoked trout soy, onion weed, and sesame. Pair it with 2019 Vineyard Series Henk Chardonnay.
Visit the grounds; they may even show you the amazing kitchen garden. In addition, there are beautiful fields of vines that contribute to the establishment’s wonderful aesthetics.
Fondata 1872
When recommending restaurants in the Yarra, I believe it’s crucial to always mention at least one authentic Italian eatery. A huge Mediterranean influence can be seen in Victorian wine culture, which is one of the reasons that 40% of menus nationwide feature wood-fired pizza.
However, Fondata 1872 has developed beyond simply making wood-fired pizzas. Try the stuffed zucchini flowers with lemon basil pesto and ricotta, the pan-fried barramundi with celeriac puree and almonds, or the 300 g Wagyu porterhouse with potatoes and jus if you’re a shiraz tragic.
Every month, head chef Christopher Lillico also conducts a class in authentic Italian cuisine (that sells out very quickly we might add). You get to put some of Fondata’s trade secrets into practice while being guided by the best. Making and preparing gnocchi as well as serving it in two of Fondata’s well-known dishes, such as the fried gnocchi with pumpkin and sage and the ricotta gnocchi with tomato ragu, fior di latte, and basil, are all included in this.
If you are in South Yarra, Victoria 3141, and looking for a winery tour to Yarra Valley or Mornington Peninsula, this is the best way to visit us.
Winery Tour Yarra Valley
Unit 201/98 River Esplanade
Docklands, VIC 3008
(03) 7042 3201